Count Platen stared blankly in his face.
"But my dear prince--" he cried.
"You must perceive," said Prince Ysenburg, "that after such a declaration it is impossible for me to say anything more, except to express my deep personal regret that our long years of intimacy, on which I shall always look back with pleasure, should have so sad an end. Farewell! remember me with the same friendship with which I shall always think of you."
He held out his hand to Count Platen, who seized it mechanically, and before the minister had recovered from his astonishment the ambassador had left the room.
A short time afterwards, Meding arrived, and found him still under the influence of this scene. He brought the minister the king's commands to accompany him to Göttingen, and Count Platen imparted the declaration of war.
"Did you ever doubt it?" asked Meding.
"I considered it impossible!" said Count Platen; "and I yet hope we may be able to do something in Göttingen."
"There is nothing to be done, except to march as fast as we can for South Germany!" said the privy councillor.
He left the minister, to prepare for his journey, and hastened to seek General Brandis.
Herr Beckmann had come to Hanover with the courier from Berlin, and he discovered to his great discontent that he could not set out again upon his already retarded journey, until various trains containing troops had been despatched from the railway station.